Comments by "Stephen Hendricks" (@stephenhendricks103) on "" video.
-
Those who think the MX-30 is "unfinished" or simply a "compliance" vehicle are wrong, I think. Likewise, those who believe there is no place for a relatively short range EV are likely to be incorrect. In the first place, MX-30 has been on sale in Europe for nearly a year and has sold well. That experience is unlikely to be repeated in the US for a number of reasons. First, of course, is that the MX-30 will be sold, at least initially, only in California. Second, short range EVs like the MX-30 (and its most obvious rival, the MINI-E) are more popular in Europe where urban/suburban areas are more compact and alternatives for longer range trips by rail are readily available and widely used. Nevertheless, Mazda (and MINI) are betting there is a market for such vehicles in at least some parts of the US.
Consider the following hypothetical case: A family with more drivers on a frequent basis than vehicles. Perhaps a household like mine with 3 drivers, myself, my wife, and our 17 y/o daughter. Two vehicles, my daily driver GTI and my wife's daily driver and the family's long range "truckster," a KIA Sorento. Neither my wife nor I commute but our daughter does and among the three of us we put about 20K to 25K on the two vehicles annually. Sharing the cars is do-able but sometimes inconvenient and on a typical weekday or weekend both vehicles are in use for local trips.
A vehicle like the MX-30 (or the MINI-E) used exclusively for local trips could account for as much as 10,000 miles a year. That would save as much as $2000 in fuel costs and maintenance costs, alone. Eliminating those miles from our other vehicles, each of which we love, would enable us to save significantly on their wear and tear, especially in stop 'n go traffic, extending their lives, and reducing depreciation.
Of course, there are less expensive alternatives in the form of a used car. But having recently priced used cars, I found it was difficult to find one I would buy for less than about $15,000. A Mazda MX-30 or MINI-E with a price of $25-$30K is a jump I might well be willing to take for a fun-to-drive like the MX-30 (or more likely the MINI-E) being confident the miles put on it were mine, my wife's, or my daughter's.
The MX-30 may not be "unfinished" but it's clear it's only a first step in Mazda's electrification strategy and not simply a compliance vehicle. Why didn't the company wait to introduce their promised PHEV version in the US? Several fairly obvious reasons. Mazda is far behind a number of automakers in electrifying their fleet. The MX-30 won't be a big sales splash but it's ready now and Mazda's plug-in-hybrid version is not. Nor is it a typical plug-in.
Rather than coupling the electric motor with a conventional ICE engine, Mazda plans to create plug-in coupled with a Wankel rotary powerplant. I owned an RX-8 for five years and on paper it looks like a viable strategy. The electric motor(s) could compensate to some extent for the rotary engine's atrocious fuel efficiency and provide low and mid range torque that was virtually unknown in the RX-8. At the same time, the rotary could extend range and provide high end performance without a much larger battery. Finally, the tiny rotary powerplant could be easily dropped into the space already set aside in the engine bay next to the electric motor.
Nevertheless, Mazda's sales record with the Wankel engine is spotty at best. The design and engineering is undoubtedly more challenging than simply mating a small displacement conventional ICE engine with an electric powerplant. Add to that the fact that Mazda has a well-earned reputation for failing to make announced schedules for their vehicles (Remember the diesel CX-5?) and I'll believe the PHEV version of the MX-5 when I see it in a showroom.
1
-
1